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Photos: India’s young shooters train for gold at ranges across the country

In the ISSF World Cups held to date, India occupies the 20th place in the tally with 80 medals. China is on top with 818, followed by USA with 553. That however, appears set to change and fast. There is shooting revolution that has gripped India, where teenagers are bagging world record scores, Olympic quotas, and handfuls of medals. A whole bunch of teenage prodigies, fearless, irreverent, and wildly skilled, are flooding the lanes of ranges across the country, getting spotted, getting picked up for international tournaments, shooting down world record scores and gold medals as they go.

Updated on: Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM IST

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1/10

At the Karni Singh shooting range in New Delhi, a prestigious national tournament is flooded by young shooters trying to make their mark, firing alongside the likes of Olympic medallist Gagan Narang. These young shooters have been thrown into the deep end, with spectacular results. In three ISSF (Pistol/Rifle) World Cups this year, Indian shooters have topped the medal tally. Eight quota places for 2020 Olympics have been confirmed so far. (Vipin Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

At the Karni Singh shooting range in New Delhi, a prestigious national tournament is flooded by young shooters trying to make their mark, firing alongside the likes of Olympic medallist Gagan Narang. These young shooters have been thrown into the deep end, with spectacular results. In three ISSF (Pistol/Rifle) World Cups this year, Indian shooters have topped the medal tally. Eight quota places for 2020 Olympics have been confirmed so far. (Vipin Kumar / HT Photo)

2/10

Shooter Saurabh Chaudhary’s parents are seen at their son’s in-house shooting range where he practices, in Baghpat Uttar Pradesh. Saurabh, the world record holder in 10m pistol is India’s youngest gold medallist at the Asian Games and the country’s brightest prospect at the 2020 Olympics. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

Shooter Saurabh Chaudhary’s parents are seen at their son’s in-house shooting range where he practices, in Baghpat Uttar Pradesh. Saurabh, the world record holder in 10m pistol is India’s youngest gold medallist at the Asian Games and the country’s brightest prospect at the 2020 Olympics. (Burhaan Kinu / HT Photo)

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“Earlier, we did not have knowledge in the system,” said Olympic medallist rifle shooter Gagan Narang, one of India’s most decorated shooters. “Now we have all the knowledge, good access to facilities as well. Also, earlier people would start shooting only when they are 15-16, now they start at 10-11 years and by 16, they are already taking part in the national championships.” (Vipin Kumar / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

“Earlier, we did not have knowledge in the system,” said Olympic medallist rifle shooter Gagan Narang, one of India’s most decorated shooters. “Now we have all the knowledge, good access to facilities as well. Also, earlier people would start shooting only when they are 15-16, now they start at 10-11 years and by 16, they are already taking part in the national championships.” (Vipin Kumar / HT Photo)

4/10

Mehuli (C, in blue), aged 18, was a medallist at the 2018 World Championships and the Commonwealth Games. Indian shooting right now has a bunch of teenage prodigies –fearless, irreverent, and wildly skilled –flooding ranges across the country, getting spotted and picked up for international tournaments, and once there, shooting down world record scores and gold medals. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

Mehuli (C, in blue), aged 18, was a medallist at the 2018 World Championships and the Commonwealth Games. Indian shooting right now has a bunch of teenage prodigies –fearless, irreverent, and wildly skilled –flooding ranges across the country, getting spotted and picked up for international tournaments, and once there, shooting down world record scores and gold medals. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

5/10

Manu Bhaker (L) seen at Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. In 2018 then 16-year-old Bhaker broke the Commonwealth Games record, won the gold in the Youth Olympic Games, and became the youngest Indian to win a gold at a shooting World Cup. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

Manu Bhaker (L) seen at Karni Singh Shooting Range in New Delhi. In 2018 then 16-year-old Bhaker broke the Commonwealth Games record, won the gold in the Youth Olympic Games, and became the youngest Indian to win a gold at a shooting World Cup. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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Hungarian coach Laszlo Szucsak raised a brigade with great care in the late 90s, schooling the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Anjali Bhagwat, Deepali Deshpande and Suma Shirur. Each of these shooters is now paying it forward. “What we see today is the work of one generation—our generation. When we came into the sport we were just a handful. Nobody knew about shooting as a sport,” said Suma, who reached the 2004 Olympics finals. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

Hungarian coach Laszlo Szucsak raised a brigade with great care in the late 90s, schooling the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Anjali Bhagwat, Deepali Deshpande and Suma Shirur. Each of these shooters is now paying it forward. “What we see today is the work of one generation—our generation. When we came into the sport we were just a handful. Nobody knew about shooting as a sport,” said Suma, who reached the 2004 Olympics finals. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

7/10

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Indian shooting contingent failed to make the podium for the first time in three Olympics. India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, was asked to dig into how Indian shooting could improve. Several changes were made based on his recommendations. Two high-performance managers were appointed in 2017, both accomplished former shooters, to constantly monitor the international team. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Indian shooting contingent failed to make the podium for the first time in three Olympics. India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, was asked to dig into how Indian shooting could improve. Several changes were made based on his recommendations. Two high-performance managers were appointed in 2017, both accomplished former shooters, to constantly monitor the international team. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

8/10

There existed a tiered competition structure for all age groups, but the shooting federation changed its selection policy to the national team to make it transparent, and based on a shooter’s most recent performances. Anyone could go online and see exactly where he or she stood, what they needed to do, and how soon. A new belief began to develop: You could start shooting today, and you can be in the national team within a year. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

There existed a tiered competition structure for all age groups, but the shooting federation changed its selection policy to the national team to make it transparent, and based on a shooter’s most recent performances. Anyone could go online and see exactly where he or she stood, what they needed to do, and how soon. A new belief began to develop: You could start shooting today, and you can be in the national team within a year. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

9/10

Government-run facilities have stepped up too. The Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy in Bhopal, where Suma works as a consultant, and which runs a programme for children aged 13-17, is a fully paid-for facility. Every year, potential shooters are picked for a residential programme, from a summer camp and trial, where everything from stay, food, coaching, guns, and bullets to entry fees and travel expenses for competitions are provided. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

Government-run facilities have stepped up too. The Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy in Bhopal, where Suma works as a consultant, and which runs a programme for children aged 13-17, is a fully paid-for facility. Every year, potential shooters are picked for a residential programme, from a summer camp and trial, where everything from stay, food, coaching, guns, and bullets to entry fees and travel expenses for competitions are provided. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

10/10

In the ISSF World Cups India occupies the 20th place with 80 medals. China leads with 818, followed by USA with 553. However, in Junior World Cups from 2016-19, India have won 107 medals, ahead of China’s 79 and Russia’s 62. Riding on this powerful adolescent wave, India has challenged traditional shooting powerhouses like China and Russia. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

Updated on Sep 04, 2019 2:07 PM

In the ISSF World Cups India occupies the 20th place with 80 medals. China leads with 818, followed by USA with 553. However, in Junior World Cups from 2016-19, India have won 107 medals, ahead of China’s 79 and Russia’s 62. Riding on this powerful adolescent wave, India has challenged traditional shooting powerhouses like China and Russia. (Biplov Bhuyan / HT Photo)

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